survey about 35.8% of teenagers aged 15-19 years were already
mothers.
3- The Committee recommends that the State party to strengthen its
efforts to further harmonize the various minimum ages in line with the
Charter.
4- The practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is still prevalent
especially in the Northern States.
The committee is thus concerned
by the lack of information in the State Parties Report on the measures
taken and programme or strategies in place to combat early child
marriages, entrenched harmful traditional and cultural practices that
hinder the best interest of the child.
5- The committee notes with appreciation the instituted universal free
primary and junior education up to the age of 15 years. This seems to
have increased the gross enrolment from 37.6% in 1999 to 88% in
2003.
According to the report the enrolment seems to decline
drastically in 2006. The committee recommends that the state party do
accord priority in the area of education and adoption of measures that
creates an enabling environment for child retention in school. It is also
noted from the report although education is free, it is unavailable in
many parts of Nigeria, and there is high illiteracy among girls and
women.The Committee request the State party to include in the next
periodic report, information on programmes for child retention in
school, student teacher ratio, gender disparities, corporal punishment
in schools and the nature of facilities in place.
The committee
recommends the expansion of vocational training especially for
children over 15 years who have graduated from compulsory free
education and are unable to further their education.
4
It is further